Merluza a la Vasca
Classic Basque-style hake with a silky sauce of caramelized onions, garlic, and white wine. Elegant yet approachable, finished with a touch of parsley and served whole or filleted.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 36g
Ingredients
- 2 fillets (6 oz each) hake fillets (or cod)
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic cloves
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup fish or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ½ lemon lemon
Instructions
- 1
Slice the onion lengthwise from root to tip into thin half-moons about 1/8 inch thick, like cutting an onion for French onion soup, until you have about 2 cups.
- 2
Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.
- 3
Finely chop the parsley leaves until most pieces are no larger than a match head.
- 4
Cut the lemon half into two wedges.
- 5
Place the 12-inch skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add the sliced onion.
- 6
Cook the onion, stirring once every 45 seconds with a wooden spoon, until it softens and turns the color of wet sand, about 8 minutes.
- 7
Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the smell becomes strong and sweet.
- 8
Pour in the white wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck-on brown bits from the bottom of the skillet, stirring constantly.
- 9
Pour in the fish stock and stir to combine, then increase heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle simmer—you'll see small bubbles breaking at the surface.
- 10
Gently slide the hake fillets into the simmering sauce skin-side up, arranging them so they sit side by side and are mostly covered by liquid.
- 11
Reduce heat to medium and simmer without stirring for 6 to 8 minutes until the thickest part of the fillet flakes easily when you push a fork through it.
- 12
Remove the skillet from heat and taste the sauce; add salt and pepper to taste.
- 13
Slide one hake fillet into each of two shallow bowls using a spatula, keeping it as whole as possible.
- 14
Spoon the caramelized onion sauce and cooking liquid around each fillet, dividing evenly.
- 15
Scatter the chopped parsley in a thin layer across the surface of each bowl.
- 16
Place one lemon wedge on the rim of each bowl for squeezing over the fish at the table.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch stainless steel or nonstick skillet with lid
- wooden spoon
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- fork
- rubber or silicone spatula
- two shallow bowls
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
